New Life
by The Offbeat Alchemist
Summary: Takes place after Letting Go and Moving On. The final piece in the series.


**New Life**

Rei was pulled from a deep sleep full of pleasant dreams by a sensation she was rapidly growing familiar with. She opened her eyes slowly and found her room bathed in silver moonlight, so bright she could see clearly as she swung her feet to the floor. She felt for her slippers and slid her slim feet into them, but she didn't bother to grab her robe as she walked across the room to her bedroom door.

The night air was warm, and Rei's feet didn't make a sound as she walked slowly down the hall. The entire house was covered in a blanket of moonlight and silence, a silence that was close and comforting. The still, quiet night was a sign that the other members of her household were fast asleep, and dreaming in a world that was safe.

Miku's bedroom door was partway open, and Rei peeked through the crack between the door and the frame. She could easily see Miku, lying in bed with the sheets pulled halfway up her torso and one arm draped across her middle. A book lay open near the foot of the bed, and the dark spot coiled up next to it could only be Ruri. There was a whisper of a smile on Miku's face as she dreamed.

Rei unconsciously smiled, too, as she watched Miku sleep and thought of how grateful she was that the younger girl was finally having dreams that were sweet. She hoped those dreams would last for the rest of Miku's life; she had seen more horrors than one person should ever have to experience, in the waking world as well as in her dreams.

But Miku was strong, far stronger than she seemed, and Rei knew this better than anyone. Still smiling faintly, Rei stepped away from Miku's bedroom and continued down the hall. She paused when she reached the door at the far end.

The door was only open a crack, and Rei listened for a moment before quietly pushing it open. The room on the other side was as silent as the rest of the house, but it was different from the cold, lonely silence that once haunted it. In fact, the room had changed so much since that time there was hardly anything left of its previous appearance.

The dark, sturdy furniture had been replaced with lighter, more feminine pieces, the carpet was now rose-colored, and the curtains that hung over the window were a filmy cream.

The curtains were open, allowing the almost otherworldly light to illuminate the small bed that rested against the far wall. The sheets were cream-colored, a contrast that would have made it easy to locate the bed's occupant even if the room were dark.

The sleeping figure's black hair was fanned out on the pillow, a wisp of darkness on the creamy bedding. Her skin seemed to glow in the silver light, adding to the already surreal feeling Rei experienced when she looked at her.

Having Mio move in had been an adjustment, but she fit so perfectly into place Rei now had a hard time remembering how life had been before she came. Mio understood her, just like her uncle and Miku did. And Mio and Miku had connected immediately on a level no one else could; Mio knew what it was like to go on living when the one closest to you, your own flesh and blood, had passed on.

They hadn't really known each other all that long, but they had already grown so close they seemed like sisters themselves. Rei was happy for them, happy that even after all they had lost, they had still been able to find something worth living for.

Rei smiled again as she reached over to brush a lock of hair from the young girl's face; she had found something, too.

Mio stirred slightly, but she went on dreaming. Rei left as silently as she had come and returned to her own room. She removed her slippers, but she didn't climb back into bed right away. For a moment she just watched person who lay there, listening to the sound of his breath as he slept.

His back was to the window, causing a shadow to fall across his face, but even then Rei could tell he was smiling in his sleep. One slim hand lay on the pillow, his skin glowing almost as much as Mio's. A simple band adorned his finger, and its surface caught the light in such a way it looked like a tiny star.

Rei carefully lowered herself onto the mattress and rested her hand softly over his. The contact was slight, but his sleepy eyes slowly opened. He yawned a little before smiling at her.

"Is something wrong?" asked Kei, voice low and soft but not really a whisper.

Rei shook her head. As she reached over and traced the curve of his face, she felt the same sensation that first woke her. It was no harder than the flutter of a butterfly's wings, but it made her laugh softly.

"Here."

She lifted his hand off the pillow and lightly pressed it to her middle. Kei's brow wrinkled slightly, making it look like he was trying to listen to something. The look of concentration was slowly replaced with a grin.

"How long has that been going on?"

"Only a few days. I would have said something sooner, but it's so faint I wasn't sure you could feel it."

Kei continued to grin at her as he pulled the sheet up over her. "I felt it," he assured her. "And while it was worth waking up for, I think we should both get some sleep."

"Sleep," Rei repeated, her tone lazy.

She reached out and Kei gathered her into his arms, pulling her against his chest and resting his chin on the top of her head. Her cheek rested comfortably against the hollow at the base of his throat.

_Sleep sounds good..._

It was safe to sleep now. It was safe to dream. Her nights were no longer full of fear and loneliness, only happiness and joy. Her dreams were full of images from the here and now, and of what her future might bring. She was reminded again of what the future had in store for her as the butterfly feeling started up again, bringing a faint smile to her lips.

She would never forget what she had lost, but she was no longer going to look back, either. She would hold on to memories too dear and precious to forget, but somehow, unexpectedly, the life that lay ahead of her had become more important--and more wonderful--than she ever thought possible.

Kei's hand touched her middle again before coming to rest on Rei's own. She could tell by the rhythm of his breath that he was almost asleep again. "Go ahead and sleep," he murmured, so softly it sounded like he was speaking in a dream.

A smile touched Rei's lips again as she slowly shut her eyes. The dreamworld was safe and sweet, but the new life she had found was so much sweeter.


End file.
